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AcTiN'c Copy, with Ke- 
DescMiption of Cogtume ; 
£xifs and Kntrances; 

"Correctly marked v/iih 



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IllLADKLPHlA: 

by Til^^^^^^B WHuB-, 
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THE 

BRAZEN DRUM; 

OR, THE 

VANKEE IN POLAND. 
PS 2919 ^ NATIONAL mmh- . 

Copy 1 ..^'""^^*«\ 






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BY SMA'S S. ST[EL5; m 

iuthor of " Clandare, Stewart's Triumph, Crock of Gold, 

Lion of the Sea, Aladdin, a Chinese drama ; The FostiU 

lion, Grecian Queen, Postheel-on Long jaw- bone, 

Amilie Plater, New York Assurance, 

The Dream," Sfc, ^c. 



1 



CORRECTLY PRINTED FROM THE MOST APPROVTO 

ACTING COPY 

WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE COSTUME, CAST OP THE 

CHARACTERS, ENTRANCES AND EXITS, RELATIVE 

POSITIONS, AND THE WHOLE OF THE 

STAGE business; 

To which are added, 

PROPERTIES AND DIRECTIONS, AS FERFORMLD IN THE 

AMERICAN THEATRES. 



TURNER & FISHER, 

15 NORTH SIXTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA, 

AND 74 CHATHAM STREET NEW YORK. 



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COSTUME. 



I 



COUNT RUFFENHOFF— A rich Russian uniform 
coat, or fly.jacket ; tight pantaloons, trimmed with silver ; 
square cap, trimmed with white fur, platted cords and 
tassel, green feather ; large blue cloak, trimmed with fur. 
POLITZ and SERFITZ-Green uniforms; huzzar 
caps. » 

BLUSTERDOFF— Very large gi:een old fashioned 
military coat, faced with white ; yellow breeches ; very 
high dragoon's cap, with the Russian eagle in front; high 
hoots. 

MRS. BLUSTERDOFF— A full scarlet gown, trimmei 
with white fur, and chequered in front with silver lace. 

COUNT FOLOSKI— A rich blue military tunic, trim- 
med with gold and white fur ; scarlet tights ; russet boots.; 
grey fur cap, tassels, white feather ; full grey cloak. 

GABINSKI and ZYRENSKI— Grey tunics, trimmed 
with fur ; fur caps, slouched, and tassels. 

ROWINA— White satin frock ; green velvet coat-dresg, 
or tunic, trimmed with white fur ; scarlet cap, with gold 
band and tassels. 

MURDALE — English huzzar dress ; blue military 
cloak. 

CALVIN CARTWHEE;L— Large buffalo robe; belt 
-of twisted flax ; short linsey trowsers ; old fashioned 
,white wool hat, with a " peacock's feather.'* 
Volunteer Pairioi5^-,National uniforms. 



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THE BRAZEPV DRVM. 



ACT I. 



SCENE r. — A wild view near the Russian Outposts, 

Enter Count Ruffenhoff, followed by Politz, l. h. 

Ruff. (r. h.) How say you, Politz, no intelligence of the 
fugitives ? 

Foli. None, my lord, nor of their pursuers. 

Rvf* Perdition ! that they should have escaped ! Are 
these foreign serfs gifte^ with magic power, or am I served 
by traitors ? 

Poli. Nay, my lord, doubt not the loyalty of your 
friends and servants, whose senses are confounded at this 
most wonderful escape ; and who all agree that it must have 
been affected by the ingenuity of that shrewd and singular 
prisoner — the beater of the Brazen Drum. 

Ruff. Ha I that American ! that supposed fool, whom I 
now suspect to be a knave ; sent here perhaps with others 
of his insolent tribe to aid these accursed Poles in their 
audacious rebellion. 

Poli. Aye! and doubtless, my lord, while he en- 
tertained your highness' ear by his tales and drolleries, 
and gained your indulgencies, he was planning hot only 
his own escape, but also that of your noble and beauteous 
captive ! 

Ruff. Distraction and disappointment ! She, the richest, 
dearest trophy of our victory ; whose eyes still fire my 
soul with passion's burning rage, and whom I hoped should 
bless — {Paces stage.) but hence despair! My slaves c?a re 
not be false — they will retake her — she shall be mine ; 
and bending low within my firm grasp, repent her virtu- 
ous folly and her scorn : already have I given orders to 
trusty Blusterdoff to treble the reward set on them. Quick, 



^ rnt BRAZEN DRtM. 

Politi, my horse ! (Politz crosses to r. h.) I myself will 
instantly set forth in their pursuit— to-morrow's dawn 
shall see them in my power I She to meet my passion ! he 
his fitting doom. [Exeunt R. H. 

SCENE II. — Outside of the Russian Forlress.—c. Doorst 
Russian Banner above. 

Drum and trumpet march. — Enter Soldiers with several 
Polish prisovefs^R. H. Enter from Fortress a number of 
Officers^ Guards, Sfc, followed by Bluster doff, w;ft^ a large 
sealed paper in his hand, which he displays with great 
pomposiiy. March continued until Blusterdoff commences. 
Guards, L. — Prisoners, R. 

Blust. {Vociferously.) Ahem I Silence that kettle drurti, 
till I offer my reward for the beater of the Brazen drum ! 
Booh ! ahem ! By the most mighty command — that is, I 
mean — by the advice of his most gigantic highness, the 
noble Count Ruffenhoff, I, Brouski Blusterdoff, Governor 
of this fortress-^ 

1st Officer. Governor? 

Rlust. Aye — that is, I mean — by promise. 

Officers. Oh! 

Blust, Silence ! I command it ! By the advice — that is, 
I mean^-by the most earnest request of the ro3?al and re- 
doubtable Count Ruffenhoff, I hereby offer an additional 
reward of 500 rubies, for the re-taking— that is, I mean — 
the re-capturing, re-captivating, or de-captivating of the 
following named fugitives! No. ], Rowina Poloski, 
daughter of the famous Polish rebel of that name ; she 
escaped from our fortress, everybody knows when, but no- 
body knows how; if taken with her treasures the reward will 
be doubled. No. 2, Calvin Cartwheel, a white-skinn'd Ameri- 
can Yankee savage — found beating the drum for the Polish 
rebels, and made beater of the great Brazen drum of the 
fortress ; escaped with our Brazen drum in the most brazen 
manner— nobody knows when, and the devil knows how ! 
No. 3, Nelson Murdale, a young and outrageous English- 
man, found fighting in the Polish ranks against our most 
mighty Nicholas, attempted to rescue the fair Rowina;. 
escaped by force of arms and legs — that is, I mean, he 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. T 

knocked down the guard with his fist, and then run away 
with himself. Now, serfs, guards, and all the rest of you, 
you have heard the noble Count's— that is, I mean, our 
decree, and — 

Enter Politz, hastily^ L. u, 

Polu BlusterdofF, his highness — 

Blust. Booh ! Blusterdoff ! nothing else ? Slave ! but 
what brings — that is, I mean, what means this unman- 
nered, unceremonious haste — speak ? 

Poli. The noble Count commands you to 

Blust, Commands! that is, you mean — requests, 

Poli, His highness has resolved to join in the pursuit 
of the fugitives, whom he suspects are protected by a band 
of armed rebels, and bids you instantly attend him. 

Blust. (Pompously.) It cannot be. 

Poli, {Sternly:) What, sir? 

Blust. That is— I mean, I must take care of the for- 
tress. 

Poli. Leave that to the officers and guards. 

Blust. But, who's to take care of them ? 

Poli, No matter ! Come, or else take care of your neck. 

Blust. Oh, dear ! who'll take my office ? I resign. 

Poli, Come, you may take one of the fugitives. 

Blust, I've no such taking ways with me; — I'm afraid. 

Poli, Afraid, sir ! 

Blmt. That is, I mean, the fortress may be assaulted 
in my absence. 

Poli. No delay ! Come, sir — come, I say. 

Blust. I — I know you do. — I say, Serfitz, send my 
strength and courage after me — that is, I mean, my brandy 
and assafoedita I and mind if the fortress should be at- 
tacked, see that the valor of Brouski BlusterdofF is not 
disgraced — that is, I mean, go bravely into it, like me, 
your governor ! {Aside,) Oh, dear ! I've got the pull back 
in all my nerves. 

Poli, What, sir ? [Snow commences falling. 

BtuU, That is, I mean, I condescend to go. Politz, 
lead on. [Music — Blust. follows Politz off, l. h., with af- 
fected courage, {Drum,) — The Officers and Guards march 
the prisoners into the Fortress, 



8 THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

SCENE III.—^ Rocky Cut Wood mar the Sea Coast, 
touched with SnoWy wkieh continues falling through th^ 
scene, ^'■"i^ 

{Music hurry.) Enter Nelson Murdale, l. u. e. 

Murdale, Alas ! all my hopes are vain \ for three long 
days a lone and friendless fugitive, have I wandered — 
hunted by the victorious, but heartless foes of Poland and 
freedom, till grim despair comes glaring near, eager to 
prey upon my soul. Throughout the morn I ve stood 
upon the rock that drives the dark sea back, and strained 
my eyes to meet the hoped-for aid, but all in vain — no 
sound but the ocean's sullen roar I no sight, save that of 
desolation ! yet far more dreadful must be the lot of my 
Rowina — doomed in vile captivity to mourn her father's 
wretched fate; her country's ruin, and her lover lost to 
her perhaps forever ! Oh, Heaven ! perhaps even now 
within the foul tyrant's grasp, she vainly shrieks for aid 
and calls on death to save her from dishonor ! (Calvin 
heard singing at a distance^R u. E.) Ah I what sound is 
that ? Can it be a human voice,^or is it but the snow-laden 
winds rushing through the trees ! (Calvin again.) Again ! 
Heavens ! 'tis the cry of man — doubtless the Russian ty- 
rant and his minions in pursuit of me. What shall I do, 
fly, or surrender ? Can I longer exist in hunger and sus- 
pence ? Yes, Providence will befriend the patient — aid 
may yet come ; yes, to the cavern, and for one day more 
hope and liberty be mine. [Music — he runs off r. s. e. 

Enter Calvin, r. u. e., partially covered with snow^ with the 
great Brazen drum on his back^ singing the following : 

Bounaparte, he crossed the Alps, 
Thro' ice and snow quite drear, sir; 

But Washington he was the on« 
That crossed the Delaware, sir. 

Cornstalks twist your hair, &-c. 

CaL Well now, if I haint jist as good as crossed both 
the Alps and the Delaware this very day, then my legs 
are not of the true Cartwheel breed, that's all. Now, poor 



THR BRAZEN DRUM. • 9 

1r 

Miss Rowina, I guess we've got bef ond the reach of them 
'ere darned Russian Mu^covyRian -bears, and I reckon I 
can unload my cart. 

Rowina. ( Within the drum,) Quick ! kind Calvin, haste. 

Cal. Guess I will, Miss, be as hasty as a Varmount 
puddin'. [Takes the drum from his back^ places it upright 
on the stage, opens a iort of door in the side of it, and helps 
Rowina ovt — «he is very faint, 

Rowina. Kind noble soul, I am weak in voice and words, 
but believe me, for this most generous act, my heart is big" 
with gratitude and thanks to you. 

Cal. Thank ye, so am I. It's nation strange — but, by 
the forewheel of old Phoebus' cart, whenever I does any 
one a good turn, if my heart don't wag about a leetle bit 
faster than a brown dog's tail. But, I say. Miss, if that 
darn'd black bear-faced Count Ruffenholf, counted on 
keopin' you, to make you jist anything he liked, he was 
jist asmuch mistaken, I kal'ate, as another wolf Ire- 
collect in Varmount, that thought he had one of our lambs, 
but when he grab'd it, it wan't there I He thinks him- 
self pretty sharp, and so am I. But I say. Miss, the old 
woman up stairs is pickin' her geese, and as she doesn't 
mind who she throvvs her feathers on, I reckon you'd bet- 
ter back your cart into that 'ere drum out o' the cold, 
while I look around for better quarters to put up at. 

Rowina. (r. h.) I fear not the storm, good Calvin, nor 
ought else, if I am secure from that rude monster's power; 
the bleakest winds that sweeps Smaratia's hills can give 
my heart no chill so dread as RuffenhofTs foul touch — 
better that this snow should be my death-bed, shroud and 
grave, 'ere I be doom'd to meet a tyrant's fell embraces, 
or look with other eyes than those of scorn upon the deso- 
lator of poor Poland. [Crosses to l. h. 

Cal. Bra-vo 1 so am I — darn my wheelspokes. Miss, 
if you aint jist about as spunky a gal, as my Continental 
grandmother was in our Yankee Revolution war. 

Rowina. Still will I trust in Heaven I and did I but 
know the fate of loved Murdale, and my dear father — 

Cal. So am I, Miss ; but at the same time I kal'ate 
you needn't fear but what they're both somewheres, and a 



10 ^ 



THE BllAZEN DUUM. 



doing somethin' to help me and you — for I jist heard 'em 
settle the whole bargain aboiA that afore they parted. 

Rowina. Indeed 1 how was it, speak, friend? 

CaL I aint no speaker, Miss, but at the same time, 
hdWsumdever, I'll jist tell you the straight and downright 
truth on't. You recollect, I reckon, that at the latter eend 
of the fight, the darned rough Russian Muscovies seized a 
holt upon you, and carted you off to that eternal infernal 
Count Roughenrough — I was beating my drum at the 
head on some patriots, but seein' you, it beat me so, that 
darn me if I could beat a single solitary stroke — my corn- 
stalk stalk was up, and I felt jist about as savage as a 
cross-cut saw, and a leetle bit sharper ; but seein' I could 
do nothin' alone, I jist took hold on a gun with a prong at 
the eend on't, and druv my way to Murdale. " Hello w," 
says I, " Nelson, the darn'd Muscovies are runnin* off 
with your gal." " Come, we'll make the villains yield her," 
says he ; so am I, said I, and away we druv. Well, we 
hadn't got fur before we seen your brave old Dad, slashing 
away among a whole flock of Russians ; " Go it, Capting," 
says I — and go it he did too, clar up to the pint and han- 
dle, about as slick as a Varmounter in corn cuttin' time ; 
but seein' there was too many for one to stand agin, me 
and Nelson walked into 'em=-and by the forewheel of old 
Phoebus' cart, if we didn't lay down sich a swarth of cut- 
down Muscovies, as Bony parte never seed or heard on. 
Away the t'others skeeted — Yermanoff, Germanoff, Whis- 
keroff, C'hokenoff, carted themselves all off about as sudden 
as a flock of quails, skeered by powder lightnin', and I 
reckon they did quail to the very tarnationest. 

Rowirtfi, But my father — 

Cat. Well, we've jist got to him— the old chap I'ook'd 
like a sug.ir-maple tree tapped all round, and the sap 'gin 
runnin' out on him pretty considerable. Howsomdever, 
he was for huntin' you out right off, but seein' more Mus- 
covies makin' arter us, Nelson tell'd him wed take care of 
youy and got a couple o' soldiers to cart your dad off to a ves- 
sel that was jist agoin' to start off to fetch us a leetle more 
charcoal feed for these darned Muscovy ducks. Well, 
arter that you know we tried to carl you off, when ahull 



TflE BRAZEN DRUM. H 

fi'ock of two-leg'd "Russian bears walk'd into us, and went 
the hull entire swine tooth and all — they rooted up poor 
Nelson, but by old Sarnstron^, that our Bible tells on, if 
he didn't make their bristles, whiskers and fur fly like 
Varmount wild-cats in a scuffle, then I never seen nothin' ; 
but how he got out of the scrape darn me if I can kal'ate — 
for I was goin' it pretty considerable strong myself Well, 
jist as I was gittin' cart room, up druv two more chaps 
with their darned fighting scythes —by the forewheel of 
old Phoebus' cart, if it didn't raise my cornstalk, and make 
me a leetle bit fiercer than a steam saw mill. Now, said 
I, you all-fired, rusty Russian thieves, this is none o' your 
ground anyhow, and if you begin mowing about me, 
darn me if you don't cut up a bumble bee's nest; at me 
they come— at them I went with the prong o' my gun, 
in regular pitchfork fashion, and I went the complete 
yaller jacket, sling and all I I used one chap clean up, 
all but a bit of fur, and that the wind carted off; but how- 
somdever arter all, the darned Muscovies trip'd me, and 
carted me foot-foremost into their eternal, infernal black 
stone barn they call a fortress — th-jt I suppose means a 
she fort ; but by old Samstrong, if I didn't kick a leetle 
bit wickeder than my uncle Caleb's great colt the first 
time it was shod ! Lost everything but my Varmount 
cartwhip— and [ say. Miss, if it hadn't been that I kal'ated 
I mought get a chance to help you, darn me if they'd 
ever tuck this critter alive, no how. 

Rowina. Brave, noble heart ! but oh I do not, I conjure 
you, deceive me ; tell me, do you really think Murdale 
and my father are alive and secure, and that we yet may 
meet again ? 

Cal. Yes, sartain — not the least bit a doubt on't, I 

kal'ate 1 — And so {Looking in the snow.) Hurrah! 

hurrah I 

Rowina. Ha ! what mean you? 

Cal. By the forewheer of old Phcehus' cart, if there' 
aint the whole clear print of Murdale's boot in the snow. 

Rowina. Great powers ! Can it be ? 

Cal. I reckon it can be, when it is ; why I'd take my" 
oath on't it's his boot — I know it, it s the only regular, 
square toe 'tween here and Boston. 



12 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 



Rowina, Oh ! blessed hope ! perhaps he may be near us. 

Cal. Yes, and jist as like as not, we're near him. INow, 
Miss, you're too weak to foller, so jist back your cart into 
that 'ere brass kittle, and stop here a bir, and I'll track 
him jist. about as slick as a Varmount fox-hound —don't be 
.afeared, I'll jist look, and if it's like to be a long chase, 
I'll come back, and cart you along, brass kittle and all. 

Rowina. Faithful Calvin, you will not be long absent. 

Cal. Guess not — " short metre," as our parson says at 
home — wouldn't run the chance of loosin' you, no how ; 
BO back in. {Music, — He puts her into the drum^ and taket 
an old cartwhip from under his dress.) Come out here, old 
relic of Varmount. (Looks round the stage as following the 
track.) Now then, my English fox, I guess I'm arter you, 
and ready to streak it equal .to the hull clear genuine four- 
Iboted quadruped. [He cracks his whip and runs of l. s. E. 

Rowina. (As he goes off.) Heaven be his guide ! 

[Retires, partially closing door of the drum, 

y Enter Politz, Serfitz, awe? Blusterdoff, r. h. 

Poll. Now, BlusterdofF, here 11 be a great flurry and a 
terrible fury, and all on account of your delay — the Count 
and his party have gone on before us, and we've got upon 
the wrong track. 

Blust. To be sure we have ! Booh ! do I not know it, 
sir; {points r.) the right track is that way. 

Pali. How? 

Blast, Tijat is, I mean, the back track — so let's track 
back. [Going, 

Poli. Pshaw! 

Serf. {Senng the drum.) Ah! look, Politz, what have 
we here ? 

Poli. By my life, it's the Brazen drum of our fortress. 

Biust. Let me examine — {g^es up fearjulhj ) by St. 
Nicholas, I was right, it is the Brazen drum. I'm Gover- 
nor of the fortress, my fortune's made. 

Poli. <^ Self. Your fortune? 

Blust. That is, I mean— our diligence shall be re- 
warded ! Bring it down lads [Music — As they bend 
to take hold of drum they see tracks in the snow. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. IS'' 

Serf, Ah! see! here are the foot-prints of a man. 
PoLi. Yei, and of a woman ! Huzza I Corne, this way, 
follow 1 the 500 rubies are ours. 

Biusl. Yes, bnt 1 say, lads you know — that is, I mean, 
these tracks may lead to the devil knows where ; so let's^ 
content ourselves for the present, with capturing- the Bra- 
zen drum. 

Poll. I don't mean that we three are able to tike them, 
but III bet my two pistols against your ^costly dagger, 
that I'll discover them in fifteen minutes. 

Btuii* Agreed I there's my dagger. {Throws it on the' 
head of the drum, --Aside.) I can remain here— get half 
the rubles and none of the trouble, 
Pali, And there are my pistols. 

[Throws them on he drum. 
Blust, But I say, fellows— that is, 1 mean, friends. 
Poll. S^ Serf. What? \Coming down, 

Blust, {Musleriously.) Do you know that . I have long 
thought— that is, I mean, I have most profoundly sus- 
pected that there is something horribly bad about that 
drum. 

Poll, 4- Serf Indeed ! 

Poll, VV ellj there is something bass about it, 
BlUbt, Right, right ! that is, I mean base, 
Serf Well, but how ? 

Blust. Something most marvellously — mysteriously — 
iamnably mischievous. 
Poli. 4- Serf No ! . 

Biuit. Yes, I'll tell you: — at the same time keep your 

eyes about: — one night in the guard-room of the fortress, 

at about ten minutes before twelve o'clock — that is, I mean 

near midnight— mind that — midnight^ when Calvin the 

brazen beater, and all were lock'd up in the room, and 

lock'd in sleep — Mrs. BlusterdofF slipt to me from the 

Countess' table, a most plump and splendid barbacued 

I duck— sent by the Countess of course ; well I placed it on 

the head of the drum, and just turned to sharpen m*y knife 

upon a fork, when suddenly the drum gave a most deep 

;and hollow bang \ I turned round, and by St. Nicholas, the 

^AvtC^n was gone. 



:14 THE BRAZEN .DRUM, 

Both. Gone ! 

[Music. — Here Rowina» who has been watching an oppnrtw 

ni y^ is seen to take the pistols and dagger from the head 

of the drum — she tooki at the priming — she is about to dt 

party but hearing voices outside^ retires. 

Blast. Yes, gone ! that is, I mean, it was not there. 

[Here all turn lowarHs drum^ and start in astonishment at 

seeing their weapons are gone. 

Poll. Blow me, if my pistols are there ! 

Blust. Damn me, if my dagger's there ! 

[ iifcre RowiNA, i.'t litr alarm y strikes head of the drum with 

one of the pisiois within. — Chord. 

Blvst. The devil's in the drum ! I'll plunge my— that 

is, I mean, Politz thrust your sword into it. 

[Music. — PoLiiz nnd Serfitz draw their swords and rush 

7ip — Blustcrdofj' stands trembling ; as they are about to 

thruit their swords into the head of the r/zt^m, Rowina 

darts outy holding a pistol in each handy which she levels 

at them — they retreat a few steps. 

Blust. St. Nicholas I behold, Rowina, the captive ! 

RoM?iwa. Coward slave I 'tis false! Rowina's no captive 

while she can grai^p a weapon to pierce the heart of 

tyrant's minion. 

Blust, Officers, seize her ! 
Rowina, Aye— dare but to move ! my hands are firm 
.as my purpose — and a single motion seals my freedom, 
and your doom! Come on, which is the cur will die to 
serve a tyrant-master — an oppressor of the innocent I Do 
you fear ? Then depart, cowards, or die this instant. 

[Musk; — She advances — they retieat to R. E. 
Blust. Politz, what do you think of the back-track ? 
Caltin {Wuhoui^L H) Go it, Miss — go it, gal — Nel- 
son's comin' — ^.I'm a comin'! 

[He entersy whip in handy and commences striking Bluster. 
DOFF and the test over their backsy while Rowina advances^ 
holding the pistols to their faces. 

CaK Gee off! abscaniperate ! you darned black bear-'i 
faced Muscovies — you aint a half a team for this critter,, 
no how ! get off — or by the forewheel of old PhcEbus' cart, 
I'll make you sprawl about like unshod horses, gettin' \ip 
.an ice hill— a hull regiment aint a team for me. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 1^ 

Cai- Woy! I guess you don't ! 
l/fc sinAfs him across the hand with his whip, which causes 
h.m to let the sward fall-he draws a filk, Cc""Z 
bmts h^m off KM whip-meanwkUe Mukmi.^ p^X 
uv the mom, and makes at Blust. and PoLnz-cMv,^ 
Jou>sinu„thMs.hip, tai they are beaten oTk~ 
Murdale. {To Rowina.) Fly. fly ' leal fl,» , 
curs to me ! Fly, fly, Ro^ina!^' ^ ' ^'^^ "'' ^^""'^' 

[RowjNA throws <iowa the pistols., and rushes int. M„. 
DALE'S arms exclaimng, " rfy lov; ! my soldier "c^v™ 
cracks hts wh.p over the,n with an air of jo. Zin.^Tr, 
crow or hurrah ! ■' •' '' S'^'"g <* 'Oud 

Mm: Rowina ! my loved, heroic girl !_here safp c»f 
withmmy arms ! Speak, to whom am i indebted foThf 
extacy ot unexpected joy ! inaeoteu tor this 

Rowina. (Pointing to Calvim 1 To him ft,,. * 
blest friend adversitf 'ere met nh °t *'""^^'' "°- 

Cat. (InterruptinJ hIr)Th7rf^ ' ^ <=^Jjn°t ^P^ak his- 

any other. * ^^'^'^^^ ^^^^^ better than 

Mur. Indeed ! 

now"lw 'ltoerryh?7 °"-^ ^°^^ '"'" one's pocket, 
you're sure o' ievL £,?" "tt'l ''"'^^'s heart-and 

I leetle too --/diSrLST&trnSpS^! 



M THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

horn'd-nosed Blusterdoff and his gang", as slick as a team ; 
and didn't Miss, here, pint them two little shootin' whips 
into their darned faces, jist about equal lo a gal from 
down East ? She''s all Pole — a regular Libert ij-pole, cap 
and all ! But, 1 say. Nelson, I should jist like to know 
now, how you're been doin for pork and beans these four 
days ? 

Mur, Noble Calvin, I'll soon relate you all. 

Rowina, But, dear Nelson, my father — speak ! what of 
my poor father ? If he be safe, — even in these wilds, I 
am happy, blest with you. 

Mnr, The brave old man is safe, I trust, Rowina, on 
board an American vessel, now upon the coast, that comes 
to bring us aid, or bear us to a land where the Russian 
despot dares not seek us, or tyrants trample upon inno- 
cence and liberty. 

CaL Hurra ! for Uncle Sam, and grandad, John Bull. 

Mur. But say, dear Rowina, will you fly with me to 
England ! Can you leave your country ? 

Rowina. Alas ! I have now no country ! the tyrant's 
triumph, and Poland is my home no more. 

Mur, Nay, do not weep — come cheer up, dear forlorn 
maid, unsullied joys will yet smile on our lot ; within a 
few steps, there's a convenient cavern, furnished with firs 
and food— three nights I've slept within it's rocky walls, 
'twill shelter us in safety till the friendly vessel gains the 
shore — restores your noble father to your arms, and bears 
us to a land of peace and freedom ! Come, Rowina. 

Rowina. Dear, gallant youth, lead on I o'er the earth 
or ocean, will I follow you. [Murdale leads her down c. 

CaL {At drum, R. c. — having picked up pistoU arid taking 
up drum.) Yes, and so am I — over airth and ocean, on 
the water or in the water, darn me if Calvin doesn't stick 
to you both, like a two-inch iron hoop to a cartwheel. 

[Murdale leads Rowina out^ l. h. — Calvin, who has^ 
taken up 'the drum^ marches after, singing the following 
and beating time upon the drum. 

" Hail Columby ! happy land, 

The Russian hogs may all be d— d. Tol !ol, &Ci 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 17 

SCENE IV.— ^ Front Wood, 

Ruffenhoff, (Without, R. n.) What ho 1 Politz I Serfitz— 
BlusterdofFl 

He enters, R., followed by four Guards, and First OrFiGKR, 
who range across stage. 

Ruf Confusion ! to have been within pistol shot of two 
of the fugitives, and yet not capture them. Somewhere 
within this wood their lurking place must be — and by my 
hatred for these accursed slaves, and by the deep and 
sweet revenge I hope for, I'll not relinquish the pursuit 
till they are once more within my power, though hell and 
darkness gather round my footsteps. But where can 
Blusterdoff and his companions loiter ? 

Office' . Perhaps, my lord, they may have returned to 
the fortress. 

Ruf Returned ! slave ! impossible ! they dare not re- 
turn — they know me — fear me, and feel that at the peril of 
their lives they dare not move but as my voice commands. 
But, pshaw ! in my rage, I loose both time and vengeance I 
Lead on, sir — {Officer takes Guards to l. h.) and search 
while there is light to move by. {Exeunt Officer and 
Guards, L. H.) What hoa ! Politz 1 Blusterdoff ! villains I 
slaves ! where are ye ? [ Exit, l. h. 

SCENE V. — Interior of a Cavern, — Set steps leading to an 
arched doorway L. H. ^th E. — ajire in c, made of sticks — 
a rude table l. c. 

Music. — MuRDALE appears on the steps, conducting Rowina. 

Mur, This way, Rowina, do not fear, love I 

[They dacend to slow music. 
Rowina, Alas ! I have heard my father spfeak of this 
retreat, in which his patriot sires were wont to conceal 
their wives, to save them from the violence ot over-power- 
ing oppressors. Oh 1 hapless Poland 1 is this thy patriots 
. fate — thy daughter's home ? 

Mur. Yes, Rowina, oppressors may conquer — still does 
the chainless patriot triumph in his soul ! though his bed 



18 THE SRAZEN drum. 

be rudest rock — though scant and coarse his fare— he feelf 
a joy ne*cr tasted by the tyrant, to rise or rest unbidden 
by a master — and break his food with an unshackled 
hand! [Goes up to fire, 

Calvin, {On steps*) Hurra ! So am I. ( Comes down 
singing — looks around*) Well, darn me, if this is such a 
darnation bad lookin' cellar arter all. (Puts the drum 
near the fire — sJts on the side of it, and commences warming 
his hands and feet.) Purty considerable majority o' young- 
stones about, a leetle too big though to chuck at these 
allfired ruifycrats— guess I'll break one on 'em up for that 
'ere Mentical purpose. But, I say, Miss, I reckon your 
leetle hands and toes must be near about as cold as old 
Granny Grampy's feet — they were so allstormin' eternally 
cold, that they turned a cake of ice all geese flesh ; so 
jist you and Nelson take a seat and sit down on this 'ere 
brass kittle — while I examine into the interior parts of 
this mystiflTerous buildin'. [Lifts drum to them, 

Rowina, Kind heart ! 

Mur. Thank you, Calvin I [ They set. 

Cal, So am I. [Looks about, and goei off L, s. K. — MuR^ 
DALE brings some coarse eatables from the inner cave, £.. u. E.f 
and places them on a rude table near the fire, 

Mur, Here, Rowina, is something that will allay our 
hunger, and refresh us— 'twas brought here but a moment 
ere I was found by Calvin, by some friendly priest, who 
refused to tell his name, or his abode. 

Rowina, Indeed ! then Heaven is with us still. 
Mur, Hoa ! Calvin ! 

Cal, I'm about, I guess! (Enters with sticks of wood.) 
I've jist gathered a leetle timber, and I'll make the fire 
blaze like a Varmount hearth on a Christmas eve. I tried 
toiind the t'other eend o' this here nat'ral cellar kitchen; 
but darn me, if it don't turn round and round a leetle bit 
shorter than a Russian pig's tail, and I believe it's got no 
more of an eend than a round piece o' nothin ; I was jist 
kal'atin' what an allfired fine cider cellar it mought make, 
Mar, Come, comrade, partake of our rude meal, 
Cal. Guess I will — any sort o' meal ; though I'd rathei 
have a leetle Indian; but jist look here — guess I warn*t 
goin* a travellin' without kal'atin* ahead a leetle. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 19 

• [Takes out hread^ cakes, cheese^ sausages, dried meats^ SfC.^ 
from his pockety and throws tkem on the tabie^ lastly a loifu 
bottle or two. 

Both. Why Calvin ! 

Mwr. But say, friend, how and where did you obtain 
all this ? 

CaL Now wan't I rather fixM out for a journey — that's 
only ?, leetle o^ my plunderations from old Belly-ache 
BlusterdofF ; so, now, jist take and put a leetle o' this 
{gives brandy,) in the hub of your wheels. 

Mur You're a noble fellow, Calvin ; but tell me, friend, 
how in the name of Heaven, did you contrive to escape 
from that fortress, and with Rowina. 

CaL (Fixing hy lable.) Well, now, I'll jist take and tell 
yoQ the hull, straight plainification, and roundaboutation 
on it ! Well, you see as how the darned Muscovies shet 
me up in an allfired queer sort of a garret room, where 
they keep this 'ere big brass kittle to raise the neighbor- 
hood with, and left me a bit to my own kalations. There 
I was nicely tripM, though I felt a considerable smartness 
all over ; then I begin to get all stormin' mad, and I 
really believe that with a leetle taller on my head, I 
mought ha' swallowed myself; so I kal ated that if I 
could only gii my cornstalk a leetle furder up, 1 mought 
back my cart agin the darned stable door and break it 
open. So I took out my cartwhip, pulled oflf my coat, and 
begun lickin' myself; but it wan't the thing; I next went 
to work upon this 'ere brass kittle, and 1 beat Yankee 
Doodle at sich an ailstormin' rale, as you haint heer'd me 
do since we left Boston ; in come old RufFenough and the 
rest or' the Russian dogs ; and by the forewbeel of old 
Phoebus' cart, if they wan't all nearly ready to dance; 
darn me if I didn't charm them 'ere Muscovies with this 
'ere kiltie jist about as slick as the Varmount gals charm 
bees, by beatin' the fryin' pan ; they promoted me right 
off to be beater of the great drum. Finally, I crawled 
clear into their affections, like a black-snake into a stone 
fence ; but how in the deuce I did it, I don't know, for I 
was jist about as sassy, as old maid Crumpy's dog, that 
when he couldn't see anything else he'd turn around and 



20 THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

bark at his tail. Well, they tell'd me that arter a day or 
so, they was goin' to have a sort o' trainin' outside o' the 
house, and that i mought go out and 'stonish the great 
rust)'crats with my beatin' on the Brazen drum — and I 
guess 1 did 'stonish 'era a leetle too slick, for I beat a re- 
treat instanterly the moment 1 got out ; that same night, 
while all was snorin' away, a young and slick Muscovy 
gal showed me a way that tuck me right into Miss Rowi- 
na's room. Tarnation fine gal that, her hair curls as 
slick as a cedar shavin", and it's about as soft as corn-silk. 
Well, arter that, 1 kal'ated on a plan that mought git us 
both out as snug as a leetle sharpened wind ; thinks I, 
I'll jist take and make a door in that 'ere drum, and when 
they let me out to the trainin' I'll put Miss Rowina into 
it, and cart her clear off. So I stole a darn sharp fightin' 
scythe from one of the sleepy Muscovies, and with a bit 
oi a file I found, I made a sort o' saw on't. Well, the 
next night they all happened to be in a regular tetotally 
drunken sleep, and was snorin' away like used-up cart- 
horses ; then the way I made my patent saw walk into 
that drum was about equal to a little sleam-mill ; but arter 
a bit the darned queer noise it made waked a couple on 
'em up — I jist come the possum ; laid right straight down, 
,and tried to snore like the noise my saw made ; and tar- 
nation well 1 did it. " D— n that Yankee," says one— 
*' What a queer snore he's got," says t'other,— so I jist 
spread it on a leetle thinner till they got to sleep agin, 
and I began sawin' agin I Well, the next night I got the 
drum all fixed ; I druv into Miss' room, slip'd her into it, 
and carted her into our garret so slick that she hardly 
know'd it herself; and by old Samstrong, before mornin* 
come, there I set on the drum head whistlin' Yankee 
Doodle ; not a single solitary Muscovy reckon'd what I'd 
been doin' ; but by the giant Goligy, didn't I feel 'bout 
as ticklish as a ^'oung colt whenever any on 'em come 
near the drum ? Well, as soon as daylight begun to 
streak in, I got ready to streak out ; arter bit up comes 
old Bluster — and ordered me to strike up the Brazen 
drum ; that in course I didn't agree to no how, and I was 
rather afraid it mought have a suspicious sound; the 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. SI 

darned old dog shook his fightin' scythe at me ; I felt 
my cornstalk beginnin' to rise, but seein* that would do 
no good, I give 'em a double rattle on the little drum, and 
made the Muscovies stare agin ; jist then we were all or- 
•dered out ; the doors and gate was throwed open — I slung 
the big kittle on my back, and down we marched to slow 
time, but all the while I heer'd Rowina's heart beatin' 
t[uick time inside. Well, jist as we got into the yard, old 
Count Roughenough seen that Rowina was not to be seen, 
an' he did kick up an allstormin' noise, an' called all the 
Muscovies up agin — up stairs they flew— -out o' the gate 
I flew, a leetle faster than a sky-rocket skeered by light- 
ning. Well, I hadn't got over about twenty paces, 'fore I 
seed one of their sentinel's eye on me — he told me to stand, 
but I wouldn't stand it, no how; jist as he was goin' to 
shoot, I sent a snow-ball right into the primin' of his gun ; 
he pulled, but it wouldn't go off"; so I pushed on — he 
turned arter me ; says he, " Stop, you slave — you Yan- 
kee," says I, " you lie, I'm a Russian," an' I reckon I 
was, for if I didn't rush out o' his sight about as quick as 
a streak of Elexanderiricity, then I don't know anything 
about it. 

Mur, Brave and noble comrade, may Heaven so will it 
that we, whose lives you have thus far saved, may yet 
possess the means to requite such generous friendship ! 

[A gun i: fired l. h. u. e. — Murdale starts — RowiNA 
shrieks and clings to him — Calvin runs to steps. 

Mur, {Grasping a sword) Ha! that shot was within 
the cavern's mouth, what can it mean ? 

CaL Maybe them eternal Muscovies have track'd us-^ 
jist let 'em come, and darn me if I don't bury them in 
this cellar without a bone-box. 

Rowina, Great Heaven ! what new terrors await us? 

CaL ( At steps.) I smell the devil ! a regular Russian 
devil! {Pulls out his pistols ) Let 'em come, darn me if I 
don't give 'em a dose of their own pills. 

Music. — PoLiTZ appears on steps with two Guards, bearing 
torches, 

Folis Behold I we have them — how ! armed— villains ! 



22 THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

in the name of Count RuflfenhofF, I command you to sur- 
render. 

CaL Sir— who d*ye say ? 

Mvr, Surrender to a murderous tyrant — never ! villain, 
never ! 

Cal. Right, Nelson, so am I ! now, you blood-huntin' 
tyrant's weazel, you've got my cornstalk up, so jist back 
your cart out o' here instanterly, or by the forewheel of 
old Phoebus' cart, I'll set these two little mad dogs upon 
you, and you'll get the hydrophoby at sich an allst/>rmin' 
rate, that it'll make you bite a hole in the ground big 
enough to bury you, fur and all. 

Poll* Guards, advance and seize them. [Beckom guards, 

Cal. (Pointing pistols) Towser seize 'em ! {Hr fires — 
0ne falls,) Now, bite away — there's a tooth-pick for you. 

[Throtcs a club a'- him. 

Music //wrry. — Count Ruffenhofp Enters^ fothwed by 
Blusterdofp, Serfitz, and Guards, — Calvin seiz^'S a 
brand from fire — Rowina still clings to Murdajle, who 
stands ready to strike the fint icho advances. 

Ruf. Now, accursed rebel slaves, surrender I or this in- 
stant die. 

Mur, Villain, I'll not surrender ! nor die, till the earth 
I fall on, has drunk your tyrant blood I 

Cal, Hurra • some am I. — I'll walk into you like the 
man with the poker; (advances with red hot poker.) and 
the way I'll make you snort, will be equal to a red-hot 
steam ingine a drownin'. 

Ruf, Guards, seize them — while I secure the maid. 

Rowina » {Drawing a dagger,) Inhuman wretch ! be* 
hold this dagger— approach me, and it shall reach your 
heart or my own. 

Cal, Go it. Miss ! 

Bhist. Oh ! murderous plunder ! — that is, I mean, pluiw 
derous murder! Steal my dagger to steal the Count** 
life with. 

Ruf, Slaves ! do you fear — seize and bind the rebels. 

[ They advance. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. S$ 

Cal Then darn me if some on you shan't go to the 
devil, jist about as nicely toasted as a slice o' bread in a 
meltin* furnace. 

[Music, — Calvin runs at Blust. and the Guards with tht 
poker — ihp.y run about hoUowina, — Murdale, 5^rfl«/nnj? Ro- 
winjL^s hand,Jiarhts with Ropfenhofp and Politz— A«t» 
finally senired and heat doujn L, c, by the aid of Serfitz 
and the Guards — Ruffenhofp attempts to seize Rowina— 
she keeps him of witk the dagirer, c. — Calvin is overpowered 
and dragged r. c, hy Guards, 

Cal. Nelson, we're trip't— but darn me if I'm used up! 



END OF ACT I. 



ACT 11. 



SCENE l.-^The Sea Coast — Ships at distance — set waves 
for bringing on Skiff. — Time, Daybreak. 

Zyrensei, an old Polish Patriot, and two Soldiers gazing 
off, r. u. e. 

Zyren. 'Tis clearly dawn, and no trace of our cloud 
skiff ! what can havt^ happened ? alas ! I tremble for the 
safety of the brave old Count Poloski, and for our Ameri- 
can and English friends, who accompanied him. Should 
an unlucky wind have driven them too near the Russian 
fortress, discovery and death awaits them. The noble 
Count would go at all hazards hoping to gain some intelli- 
gence of his daughter. Friends, look you again — my 
eyes are weak with age and grief. 

Gahinski. Ah » look— they come; the Count unfurls 
his flag; and see— he waves it — they are here. 



24 THE BRAZEN DRUM, 

»_ 

r 

Music. — The Cloud Skiff, with blue sails, comes on R. H., 
bearing Count Poloski, with the Polish flag in his hand — 
three American and three English Patriots, one of each three 
%oith a small National flag in his hand — they cheer as skiff 
comes on ; all get ashore and come down, Poloski in c. 

Zyren, {Greeting him.) Safe, my noble chief! 

Polos, Yes, thus far safe, old friend ; and a lucky 
chance it is that we are so, for the wind drove us almost 
underneath the very windov^s of the fortress ; but thanks 
to Heaven and the darkness, the tyrant's sleepy mastiffs 
mistook the sails of our skiff for a cloud that often gathers 
there ; we not only escaped unsuspected but received in- 
telligence of my child and our captive friends. 

Zyren. Sf Gabin, Indeed ! 

Polos. ( Taking out a paper.) This paper, tied to a band 
of straw, was thrown to us from a grated window by Cal- 
vin, the faithful American, 

Zyren, Read, my lord. 

Polos. (Reads) " Dear Gineral, I'm about ; a leetle 
afore day the Muscovies look'd out and said they saw a 
great blue cloud ; I lookM out and seen you in your cloudy 
boat, and directly writ these few lines, and tied 'em to a 
bit of my bed. Miss Rowina, Murdale, and me, are all 
here tight enough ; but Pve kal'ated on a plan to git us 
all loose — there's an iron door that opens on the water 
side o' this barn, that I'm agoin to work at; so jist cart 
your skiff this way every mornin' about daybreak — and 
when you hear three of my rolls on the Brazen drum, jist 
back up against the wall, and you shall cart off Miss Ro- 
wina, Murdale, and yours etarnally, Calvin Cartwheel," 

Zyren. Ohl happy tidings; they may yet be saved ! 

Polos. Aye, these gallant friends have sworn to aid us 
to the very last in their rescue ; we'll venture in the foul 
tyrant's face ; aye, beneath his very guns, and save them, 
or bravely sink together. 

Omnes, We will ! we will ! 

Polos, Let but success attend this single enterprise, and 
then, oh ! my native land — dear, lost, ill-fated Poland, we 
must part forever ! 

Zyren, Leave our country, noble Count, our lands 1 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 95 

Polos, Aye, Zyrenski ! '* our lands" indeed ! no foot of 
Polish earth is now our own ; the tyrants claim it all, and 
e'en our very lives ! Then what is left for us to g-ain or 
hope for ? Have not we in three successive struggles, 
vainly contended for the ancient rights and liberties of 
Poland — have we not seen our lands divided and our au- 
thorities usurped by the combined despots of Russia, Ger- 
many and Prussia ? Have we not seen our Constitution 
trampled to tlie earth ; its sage founders denounced and 
chained by o. female despot, a shameless royal bawd? Have 
we not seen the streets of Praga strewed, nay, piled with 
the gory corses of our fathers, mothers, sisters, and their 
unoffending offspring — butchered by the fell Suwarrow ? 
In short, have we not- seen Rusciosko leave his country 
in despair ; our dearest relatives yoked like brutes together 
and driven to dread Siberia ? What then has Poland left 
for us, or we for her ? despair and desolation ! then why 
should we remain ? our blood would not be a drop in the 
great sea of gore that our oppressors thirst for ! Come, 
brave friends, tp our retreat, and patiently await another 
dawn ; till then your good old patriotic songs will cheer 
and beguile the slow- winged hours. Come, old friend, {lo 
Zyren.) we soon shall seek a land of peace. 

Zyren, I still will follow you ; and yet to be a wander- 
ing exile at my years. 

Polns. When hope of liberty is gone in his native land, 
the patriot becomes worse than an exile — the slave of his 
oppressors. 

[Music. — Exeunt Poloski and Zyrenski, r. h. followed 
by the rest. 

SCENE II. — An Apartment in the Fortress, 2 g. 

Calvin. {Without, u u.) Well, but I tell you now, I 
won^t be hxivried. 

Enters l. following Blusterdoff, 

Blust. Booh ! you won't ? you won't ? 
Cal. No I won't, for all the eternal Russian bores 
'tween here and old Nick, your daddy. 



26 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 



Blust. Nick ! villRin ! by my office, this is— that is, 
you mean, mighty Nicholas. 

CaL No I don't, now — I mean the t*oth r devil, down 
below. I say, now, old Bluster, you'll find a terrible 
change in the weather when you get there ; I kal'ate, 
that 'ere round-shouldered nose o' your'n will be a tarna* 
tion sight redder than it is now. 

Blast. Booh ' what, rflave — damnation ! my round- 
shouldered nose? that is you mean — in-tddeC'tb-nl nose. 

CfiL Outlets of brandy ! Ha! ha' ha « {Looks at his 
noftf.) ha! ha I well now, by the forewheel of PhoBbus* 
cart, if that 'ere face-prong o' yourn, aint jist about as 
slick a pattern of a Varmount waggoner's grease horn, 
painted red, as ever could be thought on — I never seen 
but one human critfer with such a cart-elagenous hook ; 
an' that would ha' been the death on him onlj^ for me. 

Blust, Eh ! what? the death of him — how, slave ? 

Cat, Would you like to know ? 

Blust. Booh : that is, I mean, yes. 

Caf, Well then, my name aint slave, no how — I'm 
called Calvin to hum — I won't be christened slave, no 
how — so you and me won't gee. 

Blust, Booh; how? {Asid^,) I'll condescend to humor 
him, Ras — that is, I mean, Calvin ! 

CA, Oh, very well I considerably well for a Russian 
bore I Well, this chap's nose I was goin' to tell you on, 
you see, in jumpin' out of a waggon one day, he caught 
that owl's-bill nose o' his right in one of the button holes 
of his coat, and by the forewheel of old Phoebus' cart, if 
there he didn't hang by it, and there he would ha' hungr 
till now, if 1 hadn't cut him loose. 

Blust, But -ahem I but, sir, stop a moment— (mcdt- 
tates prnfounflly ) that is, I mean, I am one who cannot 
be imposed on — hark ye, {nof^s to him.) if that man snose 
was so infernally large, how large was the button-hole af 
his coat ? tell me thit. 

CaU How large? 

Blust, Yes -that is, I mean, how big was it ? 

Cat, VA ell, I reckon, takin' it up and down, and all 
round, it mought ha' been a leetle larger than his nose. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 



27 



Blusi. Oh ! then if that's the case, I'll not pretend to 
doubt it. But, come, my Yankee, you must back to your 
quarters. Booh I march ! I command it. 

CaL But I say, now, old Bluster, you needn't be in 
sich an allstorrain' hurry, I kal'ate. 

Blust. What ? Booh ! you ought to thank me, didn't I 
condescend to take you out in the air ? 

Cal. Well now you needn't take sich airs on yourself, 
if you did ; your air aint nothin' to brag on, anyhow, that 
you must deal it out to a body by the mouthfuls. But, I 
say, who's little room is that in yonder, {points l.) with 
all them keys hanging about it ? 

Blust, Booh ! mine — that is I mean, by deputy. 

CaL You don't try to make me b'lieve, do you, that you 
make use of all them 'ere keys ? 

Blust, Booh, sir I yes, every one of them. 

Cal, Darn me if I kal'ate you can make any sort o' use 
of that *ere allfired big one yonder. 

Blust. Booh ! why not, sir ? 

Cal, Darn me if it aint big enough to unlock a Rhino- 
ceros' mouth in the lock-jaw — can't hardly s waller that, 
no how. 

Blust. Booh, sir ! have you got the rebellious audacity 
— that is, I mean, dare you to presume to think, sir, that 
I, Brouski Blusterdoff, would say what is not true, sir ? 
We can use it, sir — we haue used it, sir— we rfo use it, 
and will use it, sir — and mind — that is, I mean, take care 
that it is not used for you, sir. 

Cal. Now I kal'ate you need't git your cornstalk so 
tarnally up about it ; if you do want to make a body 
b'lieve you use it, why the nation don't you tell how at 
once, now. 

Bluit, Well — that is, I mean, there is some reason in 
that Well, (ioftly ) that great key— but I must tell you 
in a low key. 

CaL Well, it don't matter, I reckon, whether it's a high 
or low key — so jist you drive on and unlock the whole 
affair. 

Blust, Well, then, in a low key — that is, I mea.n ^ seer eth^ 
I shall astonish, convince, petrify and warn you^ 



28 THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

CaL You said you would. 

BlusL Listen ! you know that at the outside — that is, 
I mean, the exterior wall of your apartment, there is a sea, 

CaL Yes, I see there is. 

Blust. Well, in that wall there is a secret door that 
opens to that sea. 

Cat. Opens to the sea — I'd like to see it open— but you 
don't let the sea in, I reckon. 

Blud. Booh, sir ! don't interrupt me, sir. 

CaL Oh, I wouldn't, no how— but I reckon as how, you 
don't mean to say you ever open that door you're jist 
about tellin' on, do you, now, for a sartain, eh ? 

Blust. Booh, sir I we do, sir, and that great key unlocks 
that secret door. 

Cat. No, you don't tell — well, by the forewheel of Phoe- 
bus' cart, if this ere great stone jug o' yourn aint about 
as mystifFeroiis as my uncle Calvin's cow stable, that had 
sich a tarnal sight o' doors in it, that the wind didn't 
know which one to come in at. 

Blvst. But that is not all, sir — that is, I mean, the most 
dreadful, doleful, woful secret is to come. 

Cut. No, now is it — well, drive on, an' relate it right 
off instanterly, now do. 

Blust. Now listen— whenever a prisoner goes to become 
outrageous or disobedient to our— that is, 1 mean, my 
orders, he is bound, taken to that same secret door, and 
cast into the sea — the sea carries him under a part of 
the fortress, and he is never again heard of; so now take 
warning. [ Pompously, 

Cat, Never heerd on ? well, now, I kal'ate you hardly 
expect one to come back, arter sarvir>' him sich an all- 
fired nasty trick as that 'ere ; that s about equal to the 
way they sarve some folks in some parts o' my country. 

Btu'it. Eh ! how's that — how's that? 

Col Oh, they jist take and cart 'em out into a field, 
sing a hull grist o' pitiful psalms to 'em, and very pitifiilly 
take a rope and choke 'em to death. 

Blust, What barbarous savages ; but come — that is, I 
mean, go, sir I 

Cal. Go where ? 



THE SRAZEN DRUM. 29 

Blast. To your quarters, sir — booh, march— I com- 
mand it. 

Cal. What an allstormin' loud way you've got o' given 
the word o' command ; I say, you never heerd tell o' Col. 
Pluck any way, did you. {During this speech he gets to- 
wards L H., as endeavoring to examine the keys.) If I could 
jist pocket that key now, on my road, 

Blust. Go, sir — remember — that is, I mean, think of 
that door, the great key, sir. 

Cal, That's jist what 1 was thinkin' on ; (aside.) 'twould 
save a hull grist o' saw in', for out o' this we must go, in 
spite of old JNick, or his son, Nicholas. 

Blast. Booh, sir I well you obey me — think of that key. 

Cal, I do — darn me if I can get it out o' my mind ! 
[Here he perceives a large paper in Blusterdoff^s pocket — 

while Blust. is swaggering^ and ordering him off, with 

"Go, sir—come, sir, &,c.'' — Calvin slips it out of his 

pocket, and throws it off L. h. 

Blust. What are you looking at, sir — ahem ? 

Cal. Me ? oh, jist lookin' at a slip o' paper on that floor 
in yonder, reckon may be, it mought be yourn. 

Blast. Mine, eh? {Feels his pocket.) to be sure it is 
mine — that is, I mean, my last important despatches are 
gone out of my pocket. Zounds 1 mischief I how ? 

Cal, Never mind, I'll jist run and fetch it. {Aside.) Now 
to kill two birds with one stone, and pilferate that key. 

[Exit Calvin, l. h. 

Blust Quick, quick ! St. Nicholas ! I wouldn't loose 
that for a hundred rubles. 

Re-enter Calvin, with a paper in one hand, and a large, key 
and two smaller ones ia the other, which he conceals, 

Cal, Guess 1 was about right in my kal'ations, warn't I ? 
[Gives paper to Blust., at the same time exulting aside, 

Blust, I thought I was right — that is, I mean, I knew 
it was gone. 

Cal. That is, you mean, arter I told you. 

Blast, Yes— that is, after I discovered it; but zounds I 
I can't think how I left it. 

CaU Oh, jist as like as not it left you. 



30 THR BRAZEN BRUM. 

Blvst, But it had to come back to me, like you — do 
you take ? ha ! ha ! ha ! but come, you can't get a-Way 
again ! you'Jl keep them in your mind— the big key— the 
secret door— the sea, eh ? ha ! ha! 

Cal. Yes — {aside.) and in my pocket, too. (Aloud.) I"m 
sartain sure not to forget thern. 

, Blust, Ha, ha, ha ! a warning— that is, I mean, 'twas 
develish lucky for you, I was so kind as to tell you about 
them, wasn't it ? 

CuL Well now, I rather kal'ate it was, for the way I'll 
recollect about that key and that 'ere door, will surprise 
you about equal to my runnin' away. 

Blhst. March ! ha, ha, ha I 

CuL Ha, ha, ha ! 

Btusc. Booh, sir ! go, mind the key, the door — march. 

Cal. Oh, guess I will now — ^jist in the right key for 
goin' into complete burglary. [ExitjoUawed by Blust. r. h. 

Enter Count Ruffehuotf, followed by Politz, l. h. 

Riif, So then, this Murdale — this vile English prisoner, 
still refuses to disclose the lurking place of the bold rebel 
Poloski. 

Poti, He does, my lord; and when I informed him 
that a dreadful death awaited his refusal, he gave us 
nought but words of insolent defiance. 

Rvf. Enough I another day, by hell, he shall not 
breathe ; but what says the American ? 

Potu He thus far has avaded our interrogations, yet 
says we shall know all the particulars concerning Poloski 
by to-morrow. 

Ruf, Till then let him be spared ! The night grows 
late — quick, Politz, go you and see that daring English 
traitor securely bound, and let the morning drum be your 
signal to cast his rebel carcase to the sea — away I 

Poli. I shall obey, my lord. [ t^xit n. h. ^ 

Rvf. Yes, I have spared the slave too long I the bea^ 
teous Rowina still contemns and scorns me, and doubtles 
draws her courage from a hope that her lover is still near 
her, and may yet save her — that hope shall be destroyed 
by his death, and leave the proud maiden to despair and 
me. [Ex a, r. h. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 31 

SCENE 111.— An Apartment in the back part of the For^ 
tress — both sit/es closed in — on one side of the flat a 
Grated Window — in c. a large Iron Door, with a ponde^ 
reus Lock to work so as to be heard by the audience — On 
L. c is the brazen Drum.-^A Lamp is suspended from 
the ceiling. 

Calvin Enters r. d., followed by Blust. 

Cal. Softly and civilly old Buster, if you please, and if 
you don*t please, I won't be druv off my independent gait, 
no sort a how. {They come down in front.) I'm a true 
regular bred Yankee, and they're a s«>rt o* chaps that will 
go their own gait if the devil does drive — so jist take and 
behave yourself like a man, 'cause you mought set me a 
kickin', and if you do, I'll knock that 'ere brandy horn o' * 
your'ne so fur in, that it'll take a six horse team to draw it 
out agin. 

Blust, {In a ra^e.) Brooh, sir ! remember— that is, I 
mean, think of that key, and that lock yonder — ( points to 
D. p.) beware that lock, sir— beware I 

[Advances to seize' him, 
Cal. You jist stop your lock-jaw, will you, or by the 
forewheel of Phoebus' cart, I'll peel you like an ingun. 

[Coming up to him. 
Blust, Come, sir — none of your familiarities — that is, I 
mean, keep off! What hoa! Politz, Serfitz I 

Cal, Yes, call your dogs — I'll give you siir/cits enough. 

Enter Politz and Serfitz at door, — Calvin pulls off his coat* 

Now jist come on, you allfired boar-faced varments, and 
darn me if I don't send you out o' that 'ere door about ai 
soon as a hurrycane would so many cornstalks. 

Blust, Away with him to the dungeon. 

[They advance and take hold 0/ Calvin. 

Cal, Darn me if some on you won't have to go to old 
Barebone's dungeon first then. 

[Music, — Calvin kicks or knocks down Politz and Serf, 

who hollo loudly — he then makes a blow at Blust., who is at 

door^ and Mrs, Blust. entering suddenly ^ receives the blow 

I in her stomach — she falls in Calvin's arms, and shrieks long 

and loudly — all run to assist her. 



32 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 



Blast. Murder ! murder ! Mutiny and assassination ! 

CaL {Shaking her.) Jalap— steam — a dose of No. G. 

Mrs. B. Oh I oh I (Very Loud.) my voice is gone, and 

Tm gone I— you Blusterdoff, how do you think 1 can faint 

in this position ? get me an arm chair, sir — quick, an arm 

chair! 

BlusL That is, you mean, your fainting chair. 

[Blust. and Serf, bring her arm chair in c. d. 
B/«6f. There, ducky I [They place her in a chair — 
Blust. pulls out a vial, and is about applying it to her mouth, 
Cal Oh, pooh 1 darn your nastijiitity I {Pulls out a 
flask.) I jist felt the pulse of her nose, and kal'ate this is 
her physic — equal to New England — ^jist buss that, ma'am. 
[Futsjlask to her mouth — she takes a large drink, 
Mrs B. {Aiide.) How polite he is; why bless me, that 
tastes very strongly of my cupboard. 

CaL Wan't I right ? but ma'am, I guess your cupboard 
must be lined with equa-vitae, 

Blust. You Yankee villain ! you've insulted— that is, J 
mean, assaulted my wife — assaulted my officers«=-and 
even me^ and now prepare for the most dreadful punish- 
ment, sir. 

Mrs, B, More punishment; Brouski, I forbid it— the 
young man only hit me by mistake. 

Cau You're right, ma'am, and no mistake) and as for 
the t'others, meanin' them 'ere darned stone-coal-faced 
varments, they begun the assault, and I only give 'em a 
leetle of my bone battery. 

Foli, You shall pay lor this ! [Going. 

Cal. I kal'ate I will ! if I don't pay the hull on ye, then 
the devil won't git his due, that's all Why you eternal 
wolves, it's only a few days ago, since you drag'd me, 
Nelson, and that poor brave gal from that cellar in the 
woods, like so many wild hogs — didn't you then put your 
darned rusty iron yokes and hopples on me ? 

Blust. Yes, and didn't you keep the whole fortress 
awake all night, by dancing in them, till we were obligedl 
to take them off. I 

Cal. If I don't pay you for the hull of that then take* 
my fingers for harrow teeth, that's all. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 33 

Blust. Brooh, sir ! I'll— that is, I mean — I — 
• Mrs. B. Brouski, I forbid it — but quick, go instantly to 
the count, he ordered me to send all three of you to him, 
immediately ; go, I'll follow as soon as I regain my 
I spirits. 

Blust. But the pris-- 
Mrs. B. Go, sir I 

Cal. {A^ide.) Go it, old gal ! go it, I say. 
Blust. That is, I mean — the — Yankee savage. 
Mrs B. I forbid it. [ Urges Blust. and the rest off at D. 
Cat. Ha ! ha ! ha I oh, 1 say, now ma'am, darn me if 
you aint a regular driver, cart, whip and all ; but at the 
same time ma'am, I beg pardon for that 'ere lick I guv 
you in the belly, but it wan't my fault. Hope you're bet- 
ter— take anolher taste of the cupboard. {Puts flush to her 
mouth — she drinks ) a leetle more ma'am. 
Mrs, B. No, no more drinking, sir, 1 forbid it. 
Cal. Oh, so am I, ma am — jst as you say! I reckon 
as how you're a temperance woman, but not a teetotallar, 
as we say down East and about there — now my uncle's a 
teetotaller, and he tuck and cut down his apple orchard 
for fear his pigs mought eat apples, and thereby grow up 
to be drunken hogs. 

Mrs. B. Come, sir, not a word against temperance— I 
forbid it — but, inform me, are you really a Yankee savage. 
Cal. Not quite a full blooded Yankee savage— but I 
reckon, I was a savage Yankee a minute ag^. 

Mrs. B. Bless me, 1 thought the Americans were of a 
copper color, and all alike. 

Cat. Why, ma'am, we are all alike, but not all of a 
color — must on us now are of no color. 
Mrs.B. How? {With surprise.) 

Cat. That is, w'lite — that you know aint any color — 
then agin some parts o' the nation are pretty considerably 
speckled with all sorts o' skin, red, brovvn, black and 
yaller ; now there's my sweetheart, Katy Kornsilk, if she 
aint the finest color — 
Mrs. B. {Qnickly.) How I oh, a red savage, I suppose. 
Cal. Well, I suppose not — a regular full blooded Yan. 
kee gal ; her hair's so long she can kiver herself up in it, 
C 



3t THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

feet and all — and her cheeks, by the forewheel of old 
Phoebus' cart, if they aint jist like two h\g poaches stuck 
in a lump of fresh butter— oh ! great Goligy, but wouldn't 
I like to have a buss at 'em now ; {aside.) now to keep in 
with the old gal; I say, ma'am, I feel so— and you look 
so— that I reckon I shall have to buss you for her. 

Mrs. B. ( With affected modesty.) Will you ? well, sir, 
I— I don't forbid it. 

Cat. Well, sol reckoned, and so here goes. (Kisses her. 
Aside^ wiping his mouth.) It aint Kitty, though — tastes a 
leetle too much of the cupboard. 

Mrs. B. What a v/inning v/ay he has — sir, inform me, 
do the white and black Yankees marry one another. 

Cal, Well, now ma'am, to tell you the clear truth about 

it, I'm sorry to say, that some queer old critters do go in 

for 'malgamation ; but ma'am that sort o' way o' mixin' 

colors don't go down with true blooded Yankees, no how. 

Mrs. B. Some forbid it then ? 

Cal. I reckon they do— by old Goligy, if they were all 
to go in for that, the country 'd be so eternally dark, that 
the peopl« couldn't see one another. 

Mrs. B. Indeed! ah ! bless me, what a pity that such 
a fine intelligent youth like you, should become a rebel. 

Ca(, No diso^race, I reckon, ma'am — do you know the 
g^reatest man that ever lived was a rebel ? 
Mrs, B. No, who was he ? 

Cal. One George Washington! well known all over 
this world, and t'other too. 

Mrs. B. I think I must have heard of him before — but 
tell me, how came you to leave your country and your'- 
sweetheirt to join these rebel Poles. j 

Cal. Why, you set as how, ma'«m, I was carpenter, c?"' - 
t«r and drum-major in the State of Varmount, and w 
reckon'd at trainin' and the like, a purty considerable 
a critter — well, when the news come over that the br. 
Poles had struck against tyrant Nick, and wanted helf^ " 
thought o' Rusciosko and Pulaski helpin' us — and thin' 
I one good turn deserves another, so here goes for Polar 
I tell'd Kitty about it — she gnaw'd the eend of her apr 
abit, then wipin' her eyes with the corner on it, say^; 



ssJ| 

% 



THE BRAZEN DRUM 35 

".[ts rather hard, Calvin, to part — but mammy stood it in. 
old times, and so will I now." Well, she served me up a 
few notions, and down I went to Boston; there I hap- 
pened to come across Nelson Murdale, who was a regular 
pilot, two other Englishmen, and some Boston boys, witli 
a small vessel, all determined to go the hull critter for the 
brave Poles. 

Mrs, B. The wretches ! 

CaL There a question riz, as to how we were to go for 
to git into Poland. " Jist wait," says I to 'em, " I've 
kal'ated on a plan that will take us there jist as slick as a 
soaped ferret into a rat hole." I shew'd a machine I'd 
invented for dressin' hemp — says I, "jist cart a few o' 
them across the big salt pond, and if they don't so aston- 
ish the Russian rustycrats, that they'll leave us go any- 
where, then you may saw my body up into lie-tubs for 
tellia' a lie," — so I tuck and made up a few on 'em, and 
packed 'em up in long boxes — then we got a hull pack o' 
shootin' sticks and shootin' things, packed 'em in the 
same sort o' boxes, and marked 'em all " Patent hemp 
dressers, for Russia,^* Well, off we sailed in our leetle 
blue-sail'd Liberty skiff, and by the forewheel of Phoebus' 
cart, if she didn't skim it across old Neptune's pickle tub 
a leetle bit faster than a barn-swallow scared by a cart- 
load o' thunder. I beat Yankee Doodle on the drum, and 
it appeared to me the harder I beat the faster she went; 
at first I got sort o' sea- sick, and I felt as though my 
bowels was playin' swing with my stomach — but arter 
being soused in pickle a few times, we druv in sight o* 
one o' your Russian forts, with sich an all-fired liquim 
vitae name, that 'twould crack one's skull to remember 
it. Well, out come two or three o' your Muscovies, hairy 
as Varmount bears, and axed what we was loaded with, 
and what we was arter ; we telPd 'em we'd come on a 
bit o' speculation, with machinery; I jist tuck out one o' 
my hemp machines, tuck a piece o' hemp, and showed 
'ern how it worked : " There strangers," says I, " I give 
that 'ere as a present, jist keep it agoin' and darn me if 
it'll ever stop, or ever want mendin' — and by my spokes, 
if I didn't drive it down 'em at sich a rate, that one on 



36 THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

'em ordered a hull dozen for his farms in Poland. Thej^ 
lookM into a few boxes, said all right, and told us to drive 
up to the town ; in we druv, and arter we'd sold and 
swapM the hull o' my patent hemp dressers, they give us 
liberty to cart our reraainin' boxes to what they call their 
serfs, in Poland, and put one o' their Muscovies to pilot us 
around to it — well, we soon druv up to a big stone barn, 
somethin' like this 'ere, and there some o' your darn'd 
Russian varmints had — 

Mrs.B. Come, that's insolence — I forbid it. 
Cat. And there they had the brave old Poloski, with 
his datter and about fifty of his men, reglarly caged— and 
ready to set to work at dressin' hemp. Arter we'd carted 
our boxes all into the yard, I give the old chap a wink, 
says I, " I kal'ate the Muscovies '11 lose by this specula- 
tion." Six on our crew got the Russian pilot into our 
cloud skiff again to cart him off somewhere, and somehow, 
darn me, if they ever got back again; {aside.) though I 
seen somethin' tarnation like 'em this mornin'. How- 
somever, one o' your captains with a Boston lady's muff 
on his head, ordered all the Poles into the yard to help un- 
pack my patent hemp-dressers — and I tell you what, when 
they seed the boxes was filled with shootin' sticks and the 
like, darn me if they didn't jump for joy like a scape- 
gallows Nathan, that when he got pardoned under the 
gallows, he jump'd so tarnation fur out o' the cart, and 
come down so fur in the mud, that he had to run all the 
way back to git the people to come and help him out. 
Well, by the time that 'ere Russian captain, with the 
lady's muff on his head, come into the yard, there stood 
every man with one o' my patent hemp-dressers on his 
shoulder, ready to pop at him— and by the forewheel of 
Phoebus' cart, if he didn't turn as blue as a bit o' brim- 
stone scortch'd by lightnin'.— Well, he made right arter 
me — says he, "slave, are these your hemp-dressers?" 
says I, » jist so, and if you don't want your hemp dressed 
till there's only a piece o' nothin' left of you, jist back 
yourselfouto' this— bull dogs and all"— here he rung a 
bell, and in come a whole flock of Muscovy geese — 
MiS. B, Geese 1 sir, I forbid — 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 37 

Cal. Guards, I meant — but we went to work upon 'em 
with my dressers, and used every Muscovy clean up ; 
the Poles were free, and the great barn teetotally their'n ; 
all done slick as dubbin' by my sham patent hemp- 
dressers. 

Mrs, B. Wicked — audacious — abominable wretches, 

did ever any one hear of such a (Bell strikes one — 

Mrs, B, starts np ) Oh ! Heavens bless me, if it isn't after 
midnight— and here am I listening to you — you — you — 
I don't know what to call you. 

Cal, But, ma'am, as I was tellin' on you— 

Mrs. B. Tell me no more — I forbid it, sir — but where 
can the Count detain Brouski so long-, or has the wretch 
gone to ray cupboard. [Going r. h., drops a key, 

Cal, There, ma'am, you've dropt somethin'. ♦ 

Mrs, B. Why, bless me, 'tis the key of that Polish girl's 
apartment. lAlarm.ed, 

Cal, Stop, ma'am, Pm on the track on^t — (Picks up the 
hey — aside.) jist v/hat I want — now old gal, I'll swop 
with you. {Hides it, and gives her one of the small keys 
from his pocket.) There it is, ma'am. 

Mrs. B, Oh, thank you — {looks at it,) Why, bless me — 
what a mistake Pve made — this is the key of the powder 
magazine— I'll go instantly and change it. 

Caf, The powder magazine, ma'am — where mought 
that 'ere be ma'am ? 

Mrs. B, (Points l. u. e.) Yonder, 'neath that window 
that looks out in the sea. (A female voice r. h. calls " Mrs. 
BlusterdofFl") Oh, dear ! the Countess — I must go. 

Cal. (Looking at door.) Now you don't mean to tell one, 
that 'ere old granny is the Count's wife, do ye ? 

Mrs B. Yes, the noble Countess ! 

Cal. Countess of witches I no wonder the Count's arter 
Miss Rowina— I seed that 'ere article yesterday, and darn 
me if she aint about as ugly as a horse's head skinned. 

Mrs, JB, Well, she is not as handsome as some, 

[Displays herjigvre, 

Cal. Ha ! ha ! ha ! a Countess ! a mouth as wide as a 
ten acre field — about a half a dozen teeth in it, and them 
part rotten — ha I ha ! darn me when she opened her 

C. 2. 



3B THE BRAZEN DRUM. 

mouth if it didn't look like a country grave yard, with a 
few old mouldy tombstones in it. 

Mrs, B. No more, sir — I forbid it. 

Cal. The ugliest woman ever I seen but one — and she 
was so all-scaring ugly, that one day when she looked in 
the glass she frightened all her hair gray. [Voice agaif^, 

Mrs. B, Oh, dear I I must go ! {Looks hack tenderly.) 
but I'lltake another opportunity to— to — cheer your lonely 
and lonesome solitary solitude. 

Cal, Thank ye, ma'am, (aside.) kal'ate I shall skeet 
out o' this afore that. {Aloud.) One kiss more for my 
Kitty — and don't let old Browski lock me up — will you. 

Mrs. B. Another kiss — I — I don't forbid it. 

Here Blusterdoff, tipsy^ staggers in at door, with a key in 
his hand, 

Blust. But I do, ma'am. 

Cal. (Aside.) Old Brow-sky, turned into a hliie-sky — 
I'll jist let 'em fight it out. [Goes up listening, 

Blust, You ought to be tossed into the — {She looks 
fiercely at him.) that is, I mean, ashamed, ma'am. 

Mrs, B, And so ought you, sir — you've been at my 
cupboard, sir— didn't I forbid it, sir ? 

Cal. Go it, old gal. 

Blust. And as for-for-y-you, sir, I'll lock you up, and 
you shall be toasted — that is, I mean, tossed into the sea 
with your damn'd English — (puts key in the door.) your 
daran'd English — 

Mrs, B. Brouski, 1 forbid it. 

[Blust. attempts to push her. 

Blast. Go to the dev— that is, I mean, go out ! 

Mrs, B. I won't, sir. 

Blust. You shall, madam. 

[They struggle Blust. tryivg to force Mrs. B. off, 

Cal, Ha, ha, ha I darn my spokes, now, if that aint a 
regular Varmount cat hug. Go it, blue-sky— go it, old 
gal ! [He endeavors to puJi both out, ar.d Jinoliy succeeds ; 
Blust. hollowing '* You shall go 1 &.c." — Mrs. B. " Brou- 
ski ! &c." — Mrs. B. screams. Countess heard calling 
within — Calvin, having pushed them both out, locks the door 
with the key {eft by Blust. 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 39 

€aL Ha, ha, ha ! hurra ! hurra for Varmount ; (flourish- 
ing key.) I'm on the right key, now, and no mistake — 
now I've lock'd 'jiyself in, I can jist work and kal'ate our 
road out ; let's see, this key'll let me into Miss Rowina's 
room — this big chap unlocks yon secret door ; old Blue- 
sky'U find I've a purty considerable of a recollection. 
Now then, here goes to try that great door. (Goes to r. h. 
door and listens, then goes vp to the secret door and fits the 
hey in it.) Breakin' into a house is a crime ; but breakin' 
out on'taint, if they don't ketch you; it turns as hard as 
uncle Calvin's great grindstone, that went by horse-power; 
however it'll have to come. (Gives a powerful turn of the 
key — the bolt is heard to fly back.) I said so ; I know'd 
that pull'd make you talk ; now then to pull open your 
darned iron jaws ; (pulls.) won't you come — guess you'll 
have to. (Pulls again — it opens with a jarring sound — 
he iookr out,) Hurra ! darn my spokes if it aint near day- 
light; and by old Goligy, if here aint a nice pair of stairs, 
made, I reckon for the water to come up by; (looks further 
out.) and by the forewheel of Phcebus' cart, if away yon- 
der aint the cloud skiif ; hurra ! 

[Here voices are heard at r. of f. 

Murdale. ( Without, at back of f.) Off! murderous vil- 
lains ! off! 

Cal. Darn my spokes if them eternal Muscovy dogs 
aint throwin' Murdale into the sea ! Oh ! great Goligy ! 
what can I do? (Runs about.) darned a rope is there 
about ! then out goes yon table. [ Takes it up, 

Rujffenhoff, (Without.) Now, base rebel, die ! 

[A plunge is heard. 

Mur. (Without.) Mercy I help! help! Farewell, Ro- 
wina ! Calvin, help ! 

[Calvin throws out the table in great alarm. 

Cal, Hurra ! he's got it! (looking off.) darn my spokes 
if it aint tuck right under the barn! Oh! airth and crea- 
tion! what shall I do ? if it wasn't for Miss Rowina, I'd 
go right arter him ! Oh ! (Runs about in distraction.) But 
arter all, he's not fool enough to drown right off, I know ! 
Hurra I I'll jist drum her in ; (Gives three roils on Bra- 
zcn Drum — shuts door in f.) it won't do for the Muscovies 



40 



THE BRAZEN DRUM. 



to see this door open. Now then to fetch in Miss Rowi- 
na— and then artor Nelson. Bj7 the forewheel of Phoebus* 
cart, they shall no more stop me than a harry cane. y^ 

[Gots out door R. i-i., and Locks it after him, 

SCENE IV.^An Apartment in the Fortress.— ^1 G. 
Music. — RUFFENHOFF drttgs in RowiNA, struggliTig, 

Rnwhia. Remorseless and cowardly homicide, think 
you a murdered lover's cries can fright my soul to thy 
base purposes ? No ! as death is preferable to bondage, 
his dying shrieks to me are sounds of joy. 

Ruf. Ah I do you acorn me still i? proud fool, this in- 
stant yield, or a lingering death awaits you. 

Rowina. Never I I dare your dreadest death I 'twill 
send my soul free and unspotted to it's Lord. 

Ruf. Hell's vengeance on her scorn ! I'll try her farther. 
(Opens a lar^e trap in c , and drafrs ker to it.) Behold your 
fate, proud maid ; beneath this floor sweeps the roaring 
sea, and — 

Cat. {Entering r. h., unseen.) Then darn my spokes, if 
I don't put one hog in salt and water. 

[Music, — Ha puils Rowina from Ruf., who starts and 
half draws his sword. 

Cat, No you don't I 

Ruf, Ha! accursed slave! what hoal Politz! guards I 

[Calvin dimrms hlm^ a-nd tripping him\ pushed him into 
trap, 

Ruf, Slave I Guards ! help ! help ! 

Cat, The devil help you, you eternal wolf. {Slams the 
trap on him, and jumps en it, giving a loud crow.) Miss, it 
aint the first hog I've put in pickle, darn me. 

[MuRDALE is heard calling beneath the floor, 

Mur, Help, help I 

Rowina, {Shrieking.) Gracious powers ! Murdale's 
voice I 

Cal, Eh? darn my spokes, if you aint right. Hurra I 
(Pulls vj) trap and looks down.) Hurra I Nelson, hurra I 
1 11 fish you out in no time. (Murdale is heard struggling.) 
I've got him — I've got him I hurra I 



THE BRAZEN DR^M. 41 

[Made, — He drawe Murbai.ie? out hy tiie choins on his 
hands — wet and ■partiallfj insensible — Calvin supports Imr . 
RowiNA wipes the wet from his face, and endeavors to re- 
vive him. 

CaL Darn me if that wan*t the best haul I ever did 
make ; (pulls out flask.) while I put a leetle o' this inside 
onhim,jist you rub a leetle outside — look, he's gettin' 
awake. 

Rowina, Blessed Heaven ! he revives ! he breathes I — 
Nelson, my love, look, look upon your Rowina ! 

Mur. That voice ! where am 1 ? 

CaL Why in a darned sight better company than you've 
been in lately. [PuUs the chains from his hands. 

Mur. Calvin ! Rowina I do my wavering senses mock 
me I no, no, 1 clasp your lov'd forms ; I feel the thrilling 
]iressure of your hands I Great God I 'tis real ! 

[They embrace, 

CaL Yes, true real critters, and no mistake ; but, come 
now, no more time for huggin' ; jist foiier me, and I'll 
take you out o' this infernal barn, instanterly ; our skiiF is 
nigh, waitin' to cart us off, and darn me, if ever these 
allfired 

Music. — Enter Politz, Serfitz, and Guards, r. u. — Mur- 
OALE picks up the Count'' s sword — Calvin seizes the 
chains. 

Foil. Ah ! the English rebel rescued I where's the 
Count ? 

Cal. {Pointing down^ Gone home to old Nick, his 
daddy ; and I'lJ send you arter him. 

Poii, Secure the slaves ! 

CaL Not while I've a claw left, darn me if you do, 
['Music. — Murdale heats Politz down — Calvin bedts down 

Serfitz ami Guards with the chain. 

CaL There, you eternal ugly dogs, take that ; and 
bark till I come back again ; dare to foller, and by the 
forewheel of Phoebus' cart, this iron cartwhip shall skin 
you alive. [Mwsic— Calvin bears Rowina off r. h. — Mur- 
dale follows. 



42 TIIK BRAZEN DRUM. 

Poli. Fly, Seriitz, to the; guard-roona— ring the alarm 
bell ! beat the drum ! Quick, rouse the fortress I 

[Music. — They all rush out r. h. — Three rolls are heard 
971 the Brazen Drum, at which the scene draws to — 

SCENE V. — And discovers the Outside of the Fortress 
at back — the Secret Door, with steps reaching to the uater — 
Windows on each dde. — The stage covered with Moving 
Waters ^the Cloud Skiff., with Poloski and party move on, 
L. s, E. — and sails up to Secret Doort at which Calvin stanrfs 
with RowiNA and. Murdale. — Caltin passes Rowina to 
Poloski — they embrace — Murdale follows into Skiff — Cal- 
vin sprm^<5 in after him — the Skiff meves off — the alarm bell 
of the fortress is heard — the drums beat, and Guards^ Officers, 
Sfc. appear at the door and present — Calvin takes a gun 
from one of the party in the skiff, and levels it. 

PgU, Fire ! and crush the slaves I 

CuL Yes, you allfired rustycrats's bull dogs-^-yon win- 
dow leads to your powder garret; jist bark another word 
about shootin' and I'll send a hot ball into it, and blow 
you all ten miles t'other side o' creation. 

Poli. Guards, fire I [They present. 

Cat. So am I, 
[He fires into the window leading to the magazine, and a 

part of the fortress blows up with a terrific explosion — 

accompanied by the shreiks of the inmates, 

Cal, Hail Columby, happy land. 

The Russian dogs may all be — — 

[ The flags are raised, and the skiff moves of to a Na- 
tional air, as the 



CURTAIN QUICICLY DESCENDS. 



TURNER'S 



DRAMATIC LI6BARY 



1 Therese, 

2 Dead Shot, 

3 Hamlet, 

4 Chimney Piece, -^ 

5 Clari,- 

6 Dumb Belle, 

7 Unfinished Gent, 

8 Golden Farmer, 

9 John Jones, 

10 Uncle Sam 

11 Tom Cringle,"^ 

12 H anting a Turtle, 

13 Provost of Bruges, 

14 Wandering Minstrel,- 

15 Richard III, 

16 Man about town, 

17 My Uncle John, 

19 The Seven Clerks, 

20 Lucille, 

21 Douglass, 
S2 Review, 

23 Ugolino 

24 P. P, - 
i^5 Mummy, 

26 Wrecker's Daughter, 

27 Bottle Imp, 

28 Flight to America,- 

29 Wallace, 
SO Omnibus, 

31 Damon and Pythias, 

32 Gladiator, 

33 Pickwick Club, 

34 Love Chase 
S5 Pizarro, 

36 Othello, 

37 La Sonnambula, 

38 Lady of Lyons, -^ 
3'3 Athenian Captive, 

40 Woman's Wit, 

41 The Irish Lion, 

42 The Spitfire, 



43 St. Patrick's Eve, ^ 

44 Rory O More, 

45 The Ransom, 

46 Pleasant Neighbours, 

47 Maid ofMciriendorpt,N 

48 Tom Noddy's Secret, 

49 The Stranger, 

50 Ion, 

51 Richelieu, 

52 Virginius, 

- 53 Sea Captain, 

54 Love, 

55 Maid of Florence, •* 

56 John Di Procida 

57 Old Maids, 

58 Cinderella, 

59 Fra Diavlo, 

60 Money, 

61 London Assurance, 

62 Hunchbaclt, 

63 School for Scandal, 

64 Apostate, 

65 Venice Preserved 

66 Iron Chest, 

67 The Bridal, 

68 Love in Humble Life, 

69 Raising the Wind, 
TO Swiss Cottage, 

71 Nipped in the Bud, 

72 Perplexing Predicament 

73 Did you ever send your 

Wife to Brooklyn, 

74 Floating Beacon, 

75 The Maid of Croissey. 

76 The Mother and Child" 

are doing well. 

77 Luke the Labourer. 

78 Brazen Drum. 
78 Village Lawyer. 

79. Maurice, the Wood- 
cutter. 



[ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



TURN 

PUBLISHERS !-NE 

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